I Hate You
by Rhoynar
Summary: We all have them. That person who you knew when you were kids, but as you grew older you drifted apart. Admit it, you have one. A person who was once one of your closest confidants, who you could count on to be there if you ever needed someone to talk to. But now, now you want to pummel them into dust. Well, mine is Dave Lizewski. (AU, eventual Dave/Mindy)
1. Mindy

**_A/N. Hi guys, I'm new to this fandom. In fact, this is my first story for Kick-Ass. I was inspired to do this after watching the movie 'The Duff' and thought of a way to apply it to the Kick-Ass characters. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I do writing it. Reviews are always welcome. I'm trying a new thing and changing my writing style, so if it sucks, I'm sorry. Also, I've changed ages and other events to different times in their lives, it makes this easier to write._**

We all have them. That person who you knew when you were kids, but as you grew older you drifted apart. Admit it, you have one. A person who was once one of your closest confidants, who you could count on to be there if you ever needed someone to talk to. But now, now you want to pummel them into dust, or maybe strap them to a car seat in a car compactor and watch them scream for mercy. Well, mine is Dave Lizewski.

Before I get too ahead of myself, introductions are in order. My name is Mindy Macready. I am a 17 year old girl who attends Millard Fillmore High School (I'm in my final year of schooling, thank god). For now that's all you need to know. Anyway…back to my earlier point, we all have someone we grew up with who we now despise, unluckily for me, mine lives next door.

So, you know a little bit about me. Let me tell you about Dave. He is the most self-centred, egotistical guy you'll ever meet. He is also 17. He is the spawn of Satan! Sorry, getting off track. Dave Lizewski is your typical, well, I wouldn't call him a jock. He doesn't participate in any sports or anything at school. What he does do, the only thing the two of us have in common, is kick some serious ass. Dave is basically a black belt in most types of fighting, karate, jiu-jitsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, you name it, he's either tried to, or is doing it.

By night he is the costumed hero Kick-Ass. Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. I'm Hit-girl.

When I wasn't even born yet my mother killed herself. Somehow the doctors managed to get me out alive. They gave me to my dad's partner on the Force, Marcus Williams. A few years later my father was released. He came and got me and explained all about this 'Mission' we needed to accomplish. That Frank D'Amico had ruined our lives or some shit. Basically my dad moved us to a small suburban area in the shadier side of Manhattan. That's how I wound up living next door to Dave Lizewski. My father trained me, trained me to be the ultimate weapon. But when I was with Dave I felt like a normal kid, like the world didn't revolve around killing and justice. Well…it's like I had a friend. And then one day my daddy and I got careless. We forgot to set the alarm to the front door. We were in the basement training, Daddy was showing me how to perfect the Triangle-choke while I was in my Hit-Girl uniform. It just so happened that 10 year old Dave wanted to come over for a visit.

 _Dave had ended up stumbling in on me choking out my father while dressed as Hit-Girl. My father was less than pleased. He yelled at Dave to get out, but I couldn't let him leave. What if he told someone?_

 _I rushed after him, up the stairway and into the hall that lead to the front entrance. Dave wasn't exactly known for his athletic prowess so he wasn't hard to catch._

 _"Dave" I said, yanking on his arm. I turned him forcefully so he was facing me "Where do you think you're going?"_

 _"I'm really sorry" he said "I didn't mean to…to…to walk in. Please don't kill me" he said with a sob. I put my hand on my hip and gave him a 'really?' expression_

 _"You're such a pussy Dave. I'm not gonna kill you" I said. Dave who had been unable to meet my eyes finally lifted his head._

 _"Really?" he asked_

 _"Come on, you have to ask?" I say. We'd been friends since we were like five, I had no idea why he was acting this way._

 _"What were you doing then?" he asked._

 _Daddy decided to follow me up to check if everything was alright. "Is everything alright Baby Doll?" he asked, emerging from the stairwell that leads to the basement._

 _"Yeah. I've got this daddy"_

 _"What were you doing?" asked Dave again "why were there guns all on the walls, and why were you fighting your dad?" he asked_

 _"Mindy was just training" said daddy "Dave, you know that people fight, like boxers and Olympians even. Mindy is just learning how to protect herself, that's it" he said warmly. Daddy had always held a small soft-spot for Dave. Dave was a regular at my house, and daddy didn't want to admit it, but he liked the fact that I spent time with a kid my own age. After all, he home-schooled me until I was 12._

 _Dave's chest seemed to swell, as though he were trying to build up the courage to say or ask something "Can you teach me?" he asked, trying to look dignified "To fight, I mean" he finished_

 _Daddy did him a once over "What's this about Dave?" he asked_

 _Dave's head sank and I noticed what I was too nervous and surprised to notice before. A large bruise that was beginning to swell on Dave's jaw, near his ear._

 _Daddy knelt down and turned Dave's head so he could see the bruise properly. He sighed "Who did this?"_

 _"Just some guys" said Dave_

 _"Tell me who they are?" I said calmly, inside I was a raging inferno of anger. Dave was one of the nicest and funniest guys I knew. To be honest he was about one of the only guys I knew. But I couldn't figure out why someone would hurt him._

 _"It's no one" he said_

 _"Was it your father?" asked daddy timidly_

 _"What?" spluttered Dave "No, I just wouldn't give up my lunch money so they said they had to teach me a lesson" he fidgeted nervously with his shirt._

 _"Ok" said daddy, straightening and letting out a sigh of relief_

 _"Ok what?" I asked_

 _"Ok Dave. I'll teach you how to fight. But you need to stay out of trouble"_

 _Dave nodded excitedly. "Cool, thanks so much Mr. M"_

 _"Don't mention it" said daddy, waving his hand. "Every day after school, I'll show you how to fight, how to protect yourself. For an hour every day, you come here, at 4 pm. Tell your dad that I asked you to stay here with Mindy because I had to go out"_

 _I was really confused. Dave was the first person he would willingly let into the basement, and probably the last. After Dave had ran home, he had forgotten all about coming over because he was bored, daddy had explained to me why he was going to train Dave._

 _He grabbed my hand gently and led me back down into the basement. We both sat down on the soft mat that we used to train on. We both knelt. "Mindy" he said, watching me intently "Do you know why I agreed to teach Dave how to fight?"_

 _"Not really" I said honestly. Daddy probably shouldn't have. People can't know about our secret. They wouldn't understand that Frank D'Amico had to die. Dave might not understand and not want to be friends with me. Dave was my only friend and I didn't want to lose him._

 _"Honey" he sighed "I…" he started again but stopped "I won't always be around"_

 _"I don't under…" I started to say_

 _"Baby Doll" he said, covering my hands with his "All of this training, all of this preparation. It doesn't ensure our survival. If something happened to me, I need to know someone's got your back" he said steadily, keeping eye contact the entire time._

 _"Daddy" I said "Why would something happen to you?" I asked_

 _"Honey, what we're about to do is dangerous. And if I get hurt I can't leave you on your own"_

 _"But you won't, will you daddy? You won't leave me?" I asked, fighting the tears that were welling in my eyes_

 _"Never" he said, planting a small kiss on my forehead._

So there you have it. Wait, or do you? Sorry, I got a little confused about the sequence of events. Let me explain.

Dave was now a regular at my house. Every afternoon for two years we trained. On occasion Dave was either sick or couldn't make it. If he was sick he'd come over anyway to watch and see what Daddy was showing me. In the beginning it was, not hard, but I didn't want to do it. Mainly because on Dave's first day daddy had told Dave to punch me.

 _"Hit her" he said as Dave and I squared off_

 _"What?" said Dave._

 _"Dave, you said you'd listen. Mindy's a lot tougher than she looks. Now hit her"_

 _"I'm not gonna hit a girl" he protested_

 _I slapped him "Act like a bitch" I slapped him again "get slapped like a bitch" Dave swung wildly at my head. I ducked and planted a solid uppercut with my right arm to his sternum. I then twisted and spun and hit him across the jaw with my left elbow. Dave went down, hard._

 _I offered my hand and he took it, I hauled him to his feet._

It's fair to say that since then Dave had improved. In fact, today at school Dave had beaten up three guys. He wasn't really the violent type, even though he had training this incident was the only fight he had gotten into at school. I wasn't sure why he fought them but I didn't really care. The three guys were jocks on the football team. They were as sleazy as they come. And on top of that they were a main reason I hated school. They gave me relentless shit. Most of the time it was disgusting flirting. But on the day Dave had kicked the shit out of them something happened that made me want to throw caution to the wind and kill them right then and there.

 _I was walking through the cafeteria to my normal table with the only two friends I had. Brad and Amy. Brad was a nice guy and Amy was cool. I had become friends with them when I had beaten up two bullies on my first day. Afterward they had approached and voiced their amazement._

 _"That was frickin awesome" said Amy. Brad nodded in equal astonishment_

 _"Yeah" he said. He looks at the two groaning seniors on the floor "Come on new kid, we'll show you around" Brad and Amy were kind of like family._

 _They had both been orphaned at a young age and lived in the same orphanage until they were nine. A family had wanted to adopt Brad, but he had said he wasn't going anywhere without Amy. They had not been adopted by that particular family. Soon after, however, they were both adopted by the same family who found their comradery 'cute'. So they were basically family, having grown up together but they weren't related, sometimes I had trouble figuring out their relationship. There were times when I knew I saw something between them but neither of them would admit or realise it was there._

 _Again, damn, I'm getting off track. Back to the plot. I was walking towards our table in the back corner (where we always sat) when I passed Dave's table and heard one of the jocks there talking._

 _"Dave" he said "Isn't that your neighbour?" he asked as I was walking passed_

 _"Yeah" said Dave_

 _"She's hot" said one of the jocks_

 _I stopped_

 _"I can hear you, you know?" I said, turning to face the seated jocks. Dave was the only one with his back to me_

 _They jock that had called me 'hot' stood up "Not like it ain't true" he said, waltzing over to me. Dave turned in his seat and leisurely leaned back against the table_

 _"What do you say?" he said, coming within a meter of me "Wanna go out sometime? It's Mindy isn't it?"_

 _"How about no" I said, he grabbed my arm as I turned to leave_

 _"If you wanna keep that hand you'll let me go" I snarled_

 _"She's not joking dude" said Dave amusedly_

 _The jock released me and put his hands in the air. He turned back to his friends and I turned and started to walk back to my table_

 _"Damn, that girl needs to be fucked" he said "Like you can feel needy, virgin vibes coming off of her. You've fucked her haven't you Dave?" he said_

 _At this point I had turned back to them, listening intently. Not out of anger really, don't get me wrong, I was angry. It was more out of curiosity, I wanted to see what Dave would do._

 _"Nah" said Dave_

 _"Come on man" he said. Dave stayed silent. The jock turned and realised I was still standing there "Checking me out Mindy?" he called out, I scoffed. He turned back to Dave "I hear she has a thing for older guys anyway"_

 _Wait, what?_

 _"Yeah" said another jock, piping up "Her dad was that dirty cop?"_

 _"He was" said another one of the jocks "that fucker was crazy, wasn't he crazy or some shit?"_

 _"Yeah" said the first jock, the one who had tried to ask me out. "That's why she likes older guys. I bet her dad fucked her like every day, definitely not a virgin" he said, smirking at me_

 _I was just about ready to strangle this motherfucker_

 _I looked at Dave. I understood that we no longer saw eye to eye, but Dave had loved my daddy, at least I think he did._

 _Dave's jaw was clenched but he said nothing. Finally he smiled and turned back to the table._

 _I went back to my table. Gripping my food tray so hard that my knuckles were white and the metal now had indents were my hands were holding it._

 _"What's wrong?" asked Brad_

 _"Yeah" said Amy "you look mad, like, really mad" she said, leaning closer_

 _"I'm fine. Don't know what I expected" I said_

 _"Those guys being dicks again?" asked Amy "And Dave?" she asked. She knew Dave, kind of. Really she only knew him by reputation. Around the time I started school was when Dave and I had stopped seeing each other so much. As my friends they kind of hated Dave without even knowing him. Of course, they don't know the real reason we stopped seeing each other._

 _"He just sat there" I said, breathing deeply, finally managing to calm down_

 _Amy rubbed my arm tentatively, she and Brad where just about the only people that were allowed to touch me without coming to a violent end. "You ok?" she asked_

 _"Yeah" I said, letting out a sigh. I turned to see Dave and the three jocks leaving the cafeteria. After that, I did not see any of them, even though I had P.E. with all of them and Math with Dave._

So now, here I am. At home, writing some stupid assignment for school when I see movement in Dave's window. I peer out of mine and see Dave sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at his hands. He angrily peeled off his t-shirt and threw it at his wall. I absolutely hated that fucker but it was hard not to notice his toned chest and rock hard abs. Then he looked out of his window and saw me watching him. His faced, which has morphed by anger, quickly turned into a half-smirk, half-snarl. I closed my curtains. Wondering if my apparent 'needy, virgin vibes' were acting up.

Marcus was going away for a week to see his parents in California. He told me that since he was going on vacation that I deserved a vacation too. I also had the week off school.

There was a knock on my door. "Come in" I said

Marcus peeked his head in "Hey" he said

"Hey" I replied, sitting back down on my bed and continuing to type.

"You ok?" he asked. After my Daddy died Marcus moved into Daddy's old house, so I got to stay next to Dave. He thought it would be good for me to have a friend close by. During those five years Marcus is still under the impression that Dave and I are, not friends anymore, but we still know, talk to, and like each other. I also don't know what gave him that impression.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I said, raising an eyebrow at Marcus

"You sure?" he persisted

"Yeah" I said "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I got a call from the principle" he said

Oh shit. Wait, I haven't done anything wrong, have I?

"She told me about what happened today" continued Marcus

"I don't understand" I said

It was Marcus's turn to raise an eyebrow "You don't know what Dave did?" he said

"No?" I stated and asked at the same time

"I thought you two were friends" he said

I scoffed "Yeah, sure" I said

"Anyway, he put three kids in hospital" he said

"What?" I burst out "Dave wouldn't do that" I said, Dave was never a violent guy.

"Well, the principle said it was three guys on the football team. Some other students said they saw Dave walking with the three of them when he said something to them. The other students said Dave looked angry and one the guys laughed and that's when Dave flipped out. They also said they saw you talking to them earlier. Do you know what the fight was about?" he asked

"No" I said quickly, too quickly. Marcus caught on that I wasn't telling him something

"Mindy?" he said, in that 'I know you're hiding something' voice.

"Listen Marcus, I don't know why Dave went Chuck Norris on three guys, alright?" I said

"Ok" he said, raising his hands in surrender "Just to let you know, Dave's suspended for the week, I asked him to look out for you while I'm gone" he said, standing up

"What?" I yelled

"Relax" he said "Dave will just be coming over sometimes to check on you"

"You don't think I can take care of myself?" I said "And Dave? What's he gonna do?"

"It'll be fine" said Marcus, he really didn't understand the rift between Dave and me. And now that I think about it, neither do you guys. Okay, I'll quickly fill you in on that bit of the story, shit someone's knocking on my door, be right back.

 ** _A/N: let me know what you guys think. I'll continue even if this doesn't get a positive response. Suggestions and prompts are welcome._**


	2. Dave

_**A/N: So this is why the first chapter had a lot of unanswered questions. It's really long and I wanted to do a Dave POV. Let you guys in on his side of the story. After this though, the updates will not be nearly as frequent. Anyway, read and enjoy, reviews are always welcome.**_

I can't believe I did that. I lost complete control. I couldn't help it. The fuckers were asking for it. But when it comes to Mindy I can't think straight. It's hard to explain, Mindy was one of my best friends, really, one of my only friends. But we were close, once. Then things happened and everything kind of went to shit. We stopped seeing each other, I admit I played a vital part in what tore us apart. But she never forgave me, even when I tried to make amends. I guess the wounds were too tender, and wounds like the ones I gave her will never fully heal. It's not like I meant to jeopardise our friendship, or her father's life. I mean, I don't blame her for how she acted, if anything I knew she was right. On some level I knew, I got her father killed.

 _Two years had passed since the day Mr M. started to train me. I was getting fairly good. Mindy still kicked my ass every day at 4pm then afterwards she'd train with her father. I could tell she was taking it easy on me, but I wasn't complaining. I had enough bruises already without asking her to take it up a notch._

 _Things were good. I was content with my life. I wasn't exactly what you'd call popular at school. There wasn't anything wrong with me, I just wasn't exceptional at anything. Except when I was with Mindy. At school I was myself, but with Mindy I was the best version of myself. I was happy with Mindy beating the shit out of me, because it meant I got to spend more time with her. But I was never going to tell her that. She'd probably kill me._

 _But then, as most people will tell you, all good things must come to an end. That's how I found myself, standing in Mindy's basement, I had just gone over to start our daily training routine. But instead of finding Mindy and her father warming up I found Mindy in costume as Hit-Girl and Damon in costume as Big Daddy._

 _I couldn't believe it, they promised. A while ago they let me in on their little secret. "Dave, we'll only put the suits on when we have to, only when we need them" said Damon reassuringly. "Tell your father that you, him and your mother are more than welcome to join us for thanksgiving this year. James has been telling me all about tradition and such. It'll be mine and Mindy's first thanksgiving, and I can't think of better people to spend it with". Damon didn't really have a relationship at all with my mother, she was a doctor at the local hospital, so she was on call all the time, I hardly got to see her._

 _My father was not able to make it that night. He works night shifts at the local Wal-Mart restocking shelves. He starts at 5pm and usually doesn't get home until midnight. It doesn't pay well, that's why he also has a casual day job as a security guard for the complex where Wal-Mart is. So yeah, Damon was practically my second father, considering I barely ever saw my father or my mother. Don't get me wrong, I loved them, I just resented the fact that I never saw them. And then I walked in on Damon and Mindy dressed in their suits. And I knew what they were about to do was dangerous, I couldn't lose Damon. I couldn't lose Mindy, life without them wouldn't be life, just some purgatory. If I lost them I would be alone in this world._

 _My father was friends with Mr. M, but he had no idea what we got up to in his basement. But anyway, after I found them I didn't know how to feel. I just stood there in the doorway._

 _Damon was the first to speak "Dave, we need your help" he said_

 _I was taken aback "You…you need my help?" I asked, I had completely forgotten about the costumes and what they meant, they meant danger._

" _Yes" said Damon. I was only 12 at the time, so I couldn't figure out what Damon would need with a 12 year old boy. "You see, I've been going out some nights, and we've had a little…problem" he said_

" _A problem?" I asked, taking a stride forwards "What kind?" You may ask why I would be so brazen, even though I knew they were both far better at me than nearly everything in this world. But I was 12, and I had a certain crush on the girl next door, and I was eager to impress her. So like an idiot, I jumped headlong into something that was frankly, way over my head_

 _Damon grinned "We've come across a superhero, calls himself 'Red Mist'" he said_

" _Cool" I say "What does that have to do with me?"_

" _Well…" started Damon, he looked like he was having second thoughts about letting Dave do this. "You see, he's just a kid" he said "He only looks like he's a couple years older than you. So I thought it'd be a good idea for you to meet him" my face lit up "Strictly as reconnaissance, I want you to meet him and don't worry, we'll be watching" he held up a small fabric cloth that looked about the size of a penny. "This is a microphone, it'll record everything"_

" _Why me?" I asked "Why not Mindy? Or you? You guys are trained for this stuff" I said, doubt creeping into my voice, why was I going to spy on a superhero for them_

" _We have gotten careless. Red Mist wants to meet Big Daddy and Hit Girl. But if you were to show up and act as a kind of 'middle-man' and record the information we need…" he trailed off_

" _You're using me as bait" I said, it wasn't a question_

 _Mindy at least had the courtesy to look ashamed "Look, Dave, if there were another way, we'd do it. We don't want to put you in harm's way. But we need to get a measure of this guy. If he's cool we'll meet up with him, and I don't know, have our own little superhero club" she finished hopefully_

 _Damon shook his head "I'm sorry Dave, but I can't put Mindy in danger, I'm sure you understand that" he said_

 _I was, again, being an idiot. For I was in the presence of a girl that I thought was the prettiest girl in the world. So, like an idiot, I agreed. They told me it wasn't going to be dangerous, just a meet and greet, then I'd be done, that it shouldn't take more than an hour. They even gave me my own costume. Well, it wasn't really a costume, it was just a trench coat and a ski mask. But still, I felt like a hero, like I could do anything, and the way Mindy was looking at me only did more to inflate my ego. She looked proud, like she couldn't believe that I'd agree._

 _Everything seemed perfect, I had gained Mindy's and Damon's respect. Now I just had to try and muster up the courage to ask Mindy to the movies this weekend, and then everything would be perfect. But life isn't perfect, it's not sunshine and daisies, the world is a dark, cruel place. And I happen to know from experience, unfortunately._

 _We had arrived at the address Red Mist had given us. Damon wanted to scout the area but like a complete amateur I said "Why?"_

" _Because, this Red Mist guy could be dangerous, dumbass" said Mindy_

 _And since I didn't want to look scared in front of the girl I had a crush on, in true 'Dave' fashion, I do something stupid_

" _That guy, I could easily take him out if he cause trouble" I said in a macho tone_

 _Damon looked at his watch. "We're already late" he sighed and gripped the bridge of his nose "Alright, Darkness" Darkness was the codename they gave me "This is all you, Hit-Girl and I are gonna take overwatch on that building there" he pointed to a small apartment building. The address Red Mist gave us was at the entrance of some wharf, there were small buildings lining the road opposite the wharf so Big Daddy and Hit Girl headed over to the building and climbed the fire escape._

 _Alright, show time. The entrance of the wharf was covered by a boom-gate, sitting on the boom-gate as though he didn't have a care in the world has who I presumed to be Red Mist._

" _Red Mist" I called_

 _He jumped and fell off of the boom gate and landed on his ass. "Shit" he said, standing up. "Yes?" he queried, trying to sound dignified._

" _Hit-Girl and Big Daddy sent me" we had gone over this on the way over, somehow Red Mist had found out their codenames._

 _He looked around, as if scanning the area for them "I don't see them" he said_

" _They're not here" I piped up, walking towards Red Mist. Big Daddy was right, he looked about 15 or so. Even though I was only 12 I was at eye level with him, and had more muscle._

" _What?" he said, he sounded frustrated. He calmed himself. "Sorry, it's just, they're super cool, and I wanted to meet them"_

" _You might, but first, they sent me to talk with you"_

" _Okay" he said, closing the distance between us. "First I gotta check you for bugs though. It's kind of my policy, I don't even know if Hit-Girl and Big Daddy sent you, you could just be working with some corrupt cops to get a confession out of me, considering vigilantism is illegal"_

 _I nodded. I don't know why I did it, but I did. I ripped off the fabric cloth that Big Daddy had sewn to my trench coat. What can I say? I was a fucking idiot, I just wanted to impress Mindy. Show her that I could do things on my own. I tore the fabric in half and Red Mist smiled._

" _Well, thank you. But I'm still gonna check, just in case" he swiped some small looking hand held device over my body twice. "Alright, you're clean. Let's talk"_

" _Okay" I said_

 _And we talked, at first it was about what he did. To be honest it kinda sounded like I was interviewing him for a job, he was telling me about all his strengths and things he'd done for the community. And as a fucking naïve 12 year old, I believed him._

 _Then we started talking about comics, a subject I was keenly interested in, and still am, if I'm being honest. I grew complacent the more we talked. We moved onto one of the shipping containers in the loading yard and sat with our feet dangling over the edge._

" _So" he said after around half an hour "How'd I do?" he asked. If I had been paying attention I would have noticed the anxious tone of his voice, the nervous twitch in his wrist, and the bead of sweat running down his check. But I, like I've said a lot, was an idiot._

" _You did good, I reckon Hit-Girl and Big-Daddy would like to meet you" I said._

 _He let out a sigh "Thanks"_

" _Just give me a sec, just to call them and let them know to come out" I said_

" _Wait…They've been here the whole time?" he asked_

" _Yeah" I said, reaching into my trench coat and pulling out my phone. I dialled Big Daddy's number._

" _Darkness?" asked Big Daddy_

" _Affirmative, Big Daddy"_

 _He sighed "Thank god you're ok, what's going on down there?" he asked_

" _It's all clear, I can vouch for Red Mist"_

" _Ok. We're on our way. Big Daddy out" he hung up and I grinned. I thought I'd done well, this wasn't so hard after all._

 _So now you're thinking 'good job Dave you dumbass, you just handed over your friends to a psychopath' and you'd be right._

 _Big Daddy and Hit-Girl joined us a minute later. They clambered up the ladder and onto the shipping container. The shipping container we were on was side by side with a stack of shipping containers, at least four stacked on top of each other._

" _Red Mist" said Big Daddy, extending his hand_

 _Red Mist took it "Pleased to meet you, Big Daddy" He gestured to the ladder that lead to the higher stack of shipping crates. "Come on" he said "This'll be awesome, like in the comics when the heroes look over at the sunset from some high place" I followed Red Mist immediately. Big Daddy hesitated_

 _I started up the ladder "Come on, he's cool, trust me"_

 _Big Daddy nodded begrudgingly and followed us up the ladder. Hit-Girl started up the ladder as well but Big Daddy looked at her and said "Stay here, I have a bad feeling about this" Mindy nodded and sat on the edge of the lower shipping container. Once the three of us had made it to the top Big Daddy looked expectantly at Red Mist._

" _So?" he said "What did you want to discuss?"_

" _Oh, you know, stuff" he said nervously. And then it happened. One of the loudest cracks I've ever heard went off and something hit Big Daddy in the chest and sent him barrelling over the edge of the shipping container. Big Daddy had a lot of armour on so I doubt the shot could have done any damage. He landed on the lower shipping container near Mindy. She looked at us in alarm and was immediately hit by two handgun shots in the chest._

 _I screamed, I knew Mindy had Kevlar on, she was sent from the lower crate over the edge and landed with a thud on the cement floor._

 _I turned back to Red Mist "We have to help them" I screamed_

" _I'm sorry" he whispered, and he punched me in the gut. When he withdrew his hand a saw the handle of a knife sticking out of my stomach_

" _Why?" I said, stumbling, trying to catch my footing. I fell over the edge, I didn't land on the shipping container with Big Daddy. Instead I landed on the cold, hard cement flooring of the wharf. The pain I felt was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I turned my head and saw an unconscious Mindy and men emerging from the crate we had been seated on. I saw them haul off Big Daddy. One of the men made a beeline for us._

 _Red Mist shouted "No, leave her, and him. They're not leaving here alive" the man continued towards us. As I started to lose consciousness I heard Red Mist yell again "Come on, they're dead, lets go"_

 _I heard footsteps receding, a car door slamming, tyres squealing and then silence._

So that's what happened, how I completely fucked up my life, and Mindy's life. Basically, I woke up in the hospital the next day. Mindy, who had only been knocked unconscious woke up and called an ambulance. She stripped me of my trench coat and ski mask and left me there. She went back to the car and drove home.

I woke up to the sight of my father asleep on the couch. The next few months were hard. The night that I was out, my mother died of a brain aneurism. We had already been struggling to make ends meet. My mother was in mountains of debt from her days at medical school, that's the reason my dad had two jobs. She had only been a doctor for 4 months. So her weekly pay went towards paying off the debt and my college fund. And my father's pay went towards feeding us and putting clothes on our backs.

Anyway, I told the doctors I didn't remember what I was doing at the wharf, or how I ended up there. But my shitty day was about to get shittier. A couple of hours after I woke up they televised Damon's torture and execution. It was all my fault, I had vouched for that motherfucker, I had told them I could do it, but no, I got Damon killed. I had gone from three adult role-models to one. My body was broken from the fall, my nerve endings were fucked up and had to have metal plates screwed into my bones to realign them and keep them stable. I was basically Wolverine.

The next six months of physical rehabilitation was hell. But I worked hard and made a recovery in four months. I still wasn't in top shape, it took me around another six months to get back to the level of training I was doing with Mindy and her father. But Mindy avoided me. I would wheel my wheelchair over to her house, only to be met by a black man named 'Marcus' that told me Mindy didn't want to see me right now.

I knew how she felt, I wouldn't want to see me either. But then I went back to school.

I ran up to Mindy "Hey" I said "Listen"

"Shut up, Dave. I don't care, I don't have time for your shit right now. I'm busy" she rushed down the hallway to her next class.

She didn't speak to me for two months. And then one day she started speaking to me again, only this time I didn't want to hear it. She would tell me it wasn't my fault, that there was nothing I could've done. Marcus had moved into her old house because they thought it'd be good for her to be around familiar places, around people she knew.

In truth, I don't know why I shunned her. On the day she started talking to me I snapped "FUCK OFF MINDY" I said loudly, the entire cafeteria went silent. And she did, she had made no attempt to me since that day, and I haven't really tried to talk to her. I still share classes with her, and train on my own. But I never really see her, which is why I am now suddenly nervous about Marcus's proposal.

"Listen, Dave. I know things between you two are rough"

"Marcus I…" I started

"No, shut up, and listen" so I shut up "Mindy might think she's invincible and can't get hurt but I know better. Alright, she has like two friends" he said

"I don't see what any of this has to do with me" I said

"I want you to hang out with her" he said

"What?"

"Listen, I'm going away for a week, and I know you two have a history. All I'm asking is you talk to her and resolve your weird issues. Because I'm sick of watching the two of you act like children. And don't think I don't know the real reason you beat up those kids today" I just stared at him "The principle called, she told me what the other kids said those boys were saying, about Mindy's father"

"That's not…" I tried to say

"Save it Dave, I know, alright. I don't condone you using violence like that, but honestly, I think you should a tremendous amount of restraint. They deserved what they got, and more"

"But why me?" I asked

He scoffed "I have these things called eyes Dave, and I know you have been avoiding each other for the past five years. I've tried to ignore it, but I can't. She may not be my blood, but she's my daughter, and don't think I don't know how she feels, how the both of you feel"

"And what is that exactly?" I asked, trying to sound like I was mocking him

"She needs you, and you need her. There's a part of the both of you that you can't share with anyone else but each other. The…" he leaned in "Vigilante part"

"So you want me to what, go over and do what exactly?"

"I don't know and I don't care" he said before rephrasing "Actually, I do care. Don't kill anyone, and don't you even think" he pointed at me "about touching her, or taking advantage of her"

It was my turn to scoff "You really think she'd let me do that, and live?" I asked

"I guess not" he said "I'm asking you Dave, please? She needs a friend. It's Damon's birthday today" I nodded, I knew it was Damon's birthday. Every year I would bake a tray of cupcakes, put candles in them, light them, and have a little birthday celebration for Damon in my living room. It was just a way I had of paying my respects, after all, Mindy was right. I did get her father killed, and its eating me up from the inside.

So here I am, knocking on her door just after Marcus left, holding a tray of cupcakes, praying to god that she wouldn't kill me. She opened the door dressed only in a tank top and a pair of boxers, and let's just say tonight was a little bit chilly.

"You cold?" I asked her

She looked down at her chest, noticed the problem, and slammed the door in my face.

"Mindy, come on, I'm sorry, I'm a jackass. Just open the door and let me explain"

She opened it again, her arms folded across her chest. "You have 20 seconds before you either leave or I get physical"

"I might like that" I quipped, she snarled "Sorry" I said

"15 seconds" she reminded me

"It's you dads birthday" I said, holding up the cupcakes "I thought we could light some candles and have some cake" I said

She stood, staring at the outstretched cupcakes, her mouth agape. She kinda looked pretty like that, with a slightly shocked and confused look on her face.

"You want to celebrate my dad's birthday?" she asked, I nodded "Why now? After five years, why now?"

"I do it every year, it's just this year, I don't feel like celebrating alone"

She looked at my hands "You didn't have to beat them up, you know?" she said

"I know, I guess they just picked the wrong day to start talking shit about Damon, and you" I said

"I thought you hated me"

"I don't hate you Mindy. It's just…" it was hard to find the words, in truth he hated himself and he was a coward. He knew he got her father killed, and looking at her reminded him of that. It also reminded him that he had never, ever got the courage to ask her to the movies when they were 12. He also didn't have the courage to admit he was wrong, and try and start talking to her again, it just seemed easier to ignore her. But now, he had a chance, to make amends "I was ashamed" I bowed my head in shame, after five years I had said it.

"Ok" she said

"Ok?" I replied, confused as fuck

"Ok" she said again "Come in, those cupcakes better be double choc-chip, from when we were little" She opened the door further and walked inside. It had been five years since I stepped foot in the house, something I never imagined doing again.

"Of course" I replied, stepping through the threshold.

 _ **A/N: so there we have it, the reason behind their little break-up and the beginning of their friendship once more. Some of you might be wondering why Mindy would forgive him so easily, it's because she knew she played a role in their friendship falling apart. If you read the first chapter you would have seen that Mindy felt guilty about ignoring Dave, especially after his mother died.**_


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